Danish design studio CEBRA won the planning competition to develop the business district at Hannemanns Allé, in Ørestad Syd, Copenhagen, Denmark. With a project emphasizing urban quality, urban life, and area identity, the 150,000 square meters plan will define the framework for future design and completion of the area between the Royal Arena and the Øresund motorway. Expected for completion in 2024, the project is commissioned by Copenhagen Municipality and By&Havn, an organization tasked with developing Ørestad and the city's port.
The project is based on an inverted design approach to the planning process, where the primary investment lies not in the real estate but in the urban spaces between the buildings. When completed, the new business district will work to tie together the neighboring areas characterized by cultural facilities, housing, and the vast landscapes of Amager Fælled, a former military site, now a lush preserve for walking and biking, with a lake, meadows, and bird watching.
The plan defines three central urban spaces - The city gate, The Urban Agora, and The Urban Village Pond. The Village will feature a 'blue' square, characterized by a large reflecting pool surrounded by accommodation options and cafes. The Urban Agora is an arty space where urban installations, lighting, greenery, and horizontal elements create a vibrant atmosphere that actively contributes to the area's identity and the neighborhood experience. To strengthen pedestrian and bicycle mobility, a belted green will define the arrival to the site as a city gate - a high-rise motif with a passageway - so that a clear urban transition is ensured on arrival to Ørestad South.
The urban spaces in the neighborhood must become an extension of the companies' indoor offices so that the people who have their daily walk in the neighborhood will use the urban spaces during the day - as an outdoor office, where you can sit down with your computer or hold a meeting outdoor meeting surrounded by, for example, water and plants. -Lisbeth Nørskov, director at CEBRA Copenhagen
With a growing international portfolio in master plans, CEBRA's works include the urban development for the historic quarter of Øgade in Denmark and the urban and landscape plan to reinstate the Qasr al Hosn Fort as Abu Dhabi's cultural heart. The danish architecture practice has just announced its new project, a 185-meters multifunctional tower that, after completion, will become the new landmark in the capital of Albania, Tirana.
